


Mug Declarations

by Talianna_ (Talianna)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [5]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Awkward Eggsy, Fluff, M/M, Merwin, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pining, Tumblr Prompt, oblivious idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 21:41:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6724636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talianna/pseuds/Talianna_
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt: "100 Ways to Say 'I Love You'" - <strong>2. "It reminded me of you."</strong> and <strong>76. "I want you to have this."</strong> prompted by <em>luniesmovies</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Mug Declarations

**2\. “It reminded me of you.”**  

**76\. “I want you to have this”**

“It reminded me of you.”

Eggsy made a point diverting his gaze as Merlin looked up from his seat at him. Eggsy had his arms crossed in front of his chest and his toes were doing this thing they always did when he was nervous, curling and uncurling again and somehow he felt as if there wasn’t enough room but he wished he could just sink inside and hide for a while.

“I… don’t really know what to say.” Merlin commented hesitantly, looking back down at the item in his hands. Eggsy very nearly groaned out loud in exasperation.

“You should probably fucking thank me.” Eggsy snapped, a blush rising to his cheeks when Merlin still didn’t say anything about Eggsy’s gift and Eggsy seriously considered if he should just hit him with an amnesia dart – and himself as well – so they could just ignore and forget this whole awkward exchange.

He was still mentally weighing the pros and cons of temporary memory loss when Merlin piped up again.

“For what exactly?” Which was _not_ really what Eggsy had hoped for and he exhaled loudly.

“For the fucking mug in your hands!?” Eggsy finally looked back at him and saw the confusion on Merlin’s face. He sighed in frustration. He really hadn’t thought that he would have to explain his gift to him.

“Eggsy-“

“When we was doing the chute test and you was talking through the comm to us we could hear that you knocked your mug over, I was a bit preoccupied with not dying in that moment so you wouldn’t have ta scrape me off the ground to comment on it earlier but it was fucking loud.” Eggsy explained impatiently and Merlin just raised an eyebrow.

“This still doesn’t explain-“

“I just thought you should have a personal mug, you know, what with all the other Kingsmen always taking each other’s mugs and not bringing them back and then you get all pissy and you’s a right pain to work with when you ain’t had your tea yet, so yeah… I want you to have this.” Eggsy trailed off and averted his gaze again, unable to look Merlin into the eyes.

“And why exactly did this remind you of me?” Merlin finally asked the question that was on the tip of his tongue when he first read the words on the mug and heard Eggsy’s accompanying comment. “Are you implying that I look like an egg?” He dead-panned, willing Eggsy to look at him with his stare alone.

“What!?” The entire colour drained from Eggsy’s face in an instant as he turned to Merlin rapidly, staring at him in shock. “What the fuck, no! Why would you think that?” He demanded, utterly confused by what Merlin was asking.

“It says ‘ _Keep Calm and Love Eggs_ ’ on the mug and you said it reminded you of me, Eggsy. What else would I think this was supposed to mean?” Merlin inquired seriously and Eggsy wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry at the ridiculousness of the situation. So he did both. He was always an overachiever, after all.

Merlin was staring at him with serious confusion etched into his features as Eggsy doubled over, guffawing and with tears streaming down his face, but he waited patiently for the younger man to calm down before he started speaking again.

“Eggsy, you are aware that we test the sanity of all Kingsmen before they are sent on missions, so tell me, do I need to worry about you?” He asked gravely but not as seriously as he might have seemed.

“Nah, I’m fine, Merlin”, Eggsy assured him, laughter still shaking his frame now and then. “Well, no, I’m not fine, my stomach hurts and my eyes are dry but mentally I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Merlin pressed and Eggsy nodded, running his hands over his face to calm down at last. “Right. Care to explain, then?”

This sobered Eggsy up instantly and he started to fidget in his shoes again, unsure how to word it properly.

“I… I mean of fucking course it didn’t remind me of you because you look like an egg. Which you don’t!” Eggsy raised his hands in a defensive gesture to placate the other man and cursed under his breath in disbelief that he was even fucking up a simple explanation. Way to go, Eggsy. At least you didn’t tell him how fit he looks in just the white dress shirt, that would have been embarrassing.

Eggsy blushed at his own thoughts and stumbled over his words, his brain and mouth not as cooperative as he wished. “I mean… you have a marker or something?” He asked suddenly and Merlin didn’t seem to follow his train of thought so he just went with it wordlessly.

Of course he did have a marker. This was Merlin, he was always prepared. And intimidating. So Eggsy accepted the marker and took the mug out of Merlin’s hands carefully, turning around and turning his back on Merlin as he scribbled down on the mug.

Merlin was staring at the man with undisclosed affection but very visible confusion and a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips but he kept it at bay. Eggsy was like a breath of fresh air to the organisation with his foul tongue and his immense bravery; he had always impressed Merlin – with his determination and the proneness to slip-up constantly. Never with important things, though; Eggsy was one of the few agents that could account for a 100% success rate on his missions and he did them all with a smirk on his face and inappropriate comments exclusively saved for Merlin’s ears.

Merlin was nothing if not professional so he kept his own thoughts to himself, but there were times where he would have loved nothing more than to say exactly what was on his mind right through the comm into Eggsy’s ear. So far, he had been able to suffocate that urge but Lord knows how long that would work.

When Eggsy finally turned back around, he held out both the marker and the mug for Merlin to take, no words leaving his lips and Merlin accepted them without a word as well. He put the marker away and looked at the mug, eyes widening as he saw just what Eggsy had written on the ceramic and when he looked back up again, all he saw was Eggsy rapidly leaving the room, shoulders tense and steps quick and Merlin finally gave in and smiled at his retreating back, imagining the way Eggsy’s cheeks were probably burning right now and revelling in the mental image.

He turned around on his seat, putting the mug on the table and focussing back on his work, because still, he was nothing if not professional.

Eggsy didn’t talk about the exchange the next time they saw each other but Merlin didn’t mind, especially when he saw Eggsy’s eyes light up in happiness and affection whenever he saw Merlin drink his morning tea out of the mug that said ‘ _Keep Calm and Love Eggsy_ ’.


End file.
